Freezing at the Flea

I don't know about you, but we've had ridiculously cold weather here in Central Pennsylvania:

Yeah... the windchill was 20 below.

So, this morning, when the temperature was a balmy 38 degrees, I got that flea market feeling again. I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful outdoor flea market that is open all year round (weather permitting, whatever that means). In the winter, you'll still find 30 or 40 vendors set up, many of them selling from auction box lots.

So I plied myself with coffee and a hot breakfast (thanks to Dear David), took plenty of cash, and a canvas bag and set out.

I was not disappointed! 

The usual suspects were there, and you probably have them at your flea market too: The gruff older guy who has great stuff, but absolutely will not haggle. The sketchy guy who is just a little TOO friendly. Lots and lots of guys with tools and 1980s electronics and DVDs.

And lots of GOOD stuff!

The best stuff came from Guy-Who-Won't-Haggle (of course). I got nearly 7 yards of Irish linen with the paper label still attached! It's luscious!

And a completely GI-normous rayon damask tablecloth that I don't think has ever been used! Perfect for a vintage wedding reception head table.

And two sweet little shamrock hankies.

About this time, the cold had begun to set in and (as always), my nose began to run. I nearly bought another hankie just to blow my nose on it, but this was Guy-Who-Won't-Haggle, so I decided I could manage a little longer.

Along the way, I also picked up 8 gorgeous linen napkins, which also appear unused.

And a set of four with the paper tags still on them.

They have a little bit of a split personality though. The paper tag on the linen part of the napkins says "All Linen Made in Ireland" and a second paper tag on the back of the lace corner says "Made in France." They are multicultural napkins, I guess.

Nearing the last few vendors, I found a laundry basket full of linens and starting digging. WAY down at the bottom, I came up with this Indian Head tablecloth still in its original packaging:

I headed back to the car, where there was Kleenex for my drippy nose, and warmth, and went through my purchases. 

And discovered that the Indian Head tablecloth had only ONE napkin included in the packaging!

A dilemma.

MAYBE I had dislodged the other three napkins when I pulled the package from the bottom of the laundry basket. MAYBE they were still there, at the bottom of the basket, on the far side of the flea market.

On the other hand, the aforementioned hot coffee had made its way through my system, and a bathroom break would need to come very soon.

Flea Market Port a Potty at 38 degrees?
The possibility of 3 additional napkins for this tablecloth?

I admit it. I wimped out and drove for home where there was a warm bathroom. What would YOU have done?